MHRD Scheme on Global Initiative on Academic Network (GIAN) COMPLEXITY AND DYNAMICS IN NEUROSCIENCE

Overview Understanding perception, information processing, learning and other higher cognitive functions inbrain by nonlinear dynamics and complexity theory has a long history of success. Dynamicalmodelling allowed for predicting and explaining rhythmic behaviors in neural circuits, normal andabnormal, stretching to control strageries of epileptic seizures. Even simplest models that have onlyremote physiological relevance shed light on the role of synchronization, competition and transientdynamics in these processes. More realistic models of the Hodgkin-Huxley type as well ascapturing dynamics of synaptic coupling, including plasticity, rendered the dynamical analysis moresophysticated, yet more pursuasive for biologists. The big step to complexity was made in the lasttwo decades, when the importance was realized – and it became computationally possible – toaddress the impact of the network architecture of brain, with irregular and long-distanceconnectivity. The new rising challenge is due to the mounting experimental evidence of the key roleof glial cells in modulating synaptic connections between neurons and affecting their activity,beside the previously attrubuted function of a passive medium. The collective nonlinear dynamicsof such multiplex networks is still to be elucidated. The proposed course will take the audience on atour from the fundamentals of nonlinear dynamics and network science, the overview of themathematical modelling of brain to the cutting edge problems and open questions of computationalneuroscience.

Objectives Our goal is to familiarize and equip the attendees with the state-of-art mathematical concepts ofneuroscience, starting from the nonlinear dynamics framework and network theory to the cutting-edge research on collective behavior of neuro-glial brain networks. At the end of the course the students will acquire the basic tools that will allow them to embark onan academic level research project in the area of computational neurocience. Hence, the course isideally suited for graduate students pursuing a research career in this field.

Specifically, students will learn and apply:

i) Fundamentals of nonlinear dynamics of complex networks,

ii) Paradigmatic mathematical models of neurons, synapses and astrocytes,

iii) Collective phenomena in neural and glial networks,

iv) Computational approaches, from methods to measurables.

Schedule November 1 – 8, 2017, 10 lecture and 4 tutorial hours . Number of participants for the course will be limited to fifty.

You Should Attend If...

• Undergraduate, Master or PhD level scholar who would like to be introduced to the new and growing interdisciplinary area of Biomathematics and Systems Biology.

• Young and budding members of the faculty at various Engineering and Computer Science departments wanting to learn develop research programs in the respective departments.

• Scholars in governmental, industrial or consulting agencies interested in understanding the state of the art in this area.

Fees The participation fees for taking the course is as follows:• Students : Rs.3000/-• Faculties: Rs.5000/-• Industries: Rs.10,000/-

The above fee include course materials, computer use for tutorials and assignments. The participants will be provided with accommodation on payment basis.

Registration • Participants are requested to register at the GIAN portal at http://www.gian.iitkgp.ac.in/GREGN/index and then based on their selection they can register at the GIAN portal of IIT Indore (http://gian.iiti.ac.in/register.php)

• Alternatively, one can request for participation by sending an email to kumarvrahul16@gmail.com and CC to sarikajalan9@gmail.com along with biodata. Selected participants can proceed to register at the GIAN portal of IIT Indore.

• Last date of Registration is September 30th, 2017.

Accomodation • The outstation participants who require accommodation should send a request to ankitphy059@gmail.com with the subject ‘Request for Accomodation’

• For accomodation participants can download the form from here http://www.iiti.ac.in/Hall of residence/Downloads

The Teaching Faculty

Course Coordinator

Dr. Mikhail Ivanchenko holds position of Professor at Department of Applied Mathematics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod. He has completed his PhD in Physics and Mathematics

from Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia in 2007. His area of research is Nonlinear and many-body wave physics: nonlinear waves, wave propagation, Anderson localization, thermalization, Nonlinear dynamics of biosystems, Analysis of complex networks, Parallel computations for physical and biological problems. Dr. Mikhail has been involved in various teaching programs since 2003 at University of Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia and University of Leeds, UK. During his tenure of teaching he has developed modules for bachelor and master degree students along with that he has published two books titled “Information dynamics of complex oscillatory systems” and “Nonlinear oscillations and waves in disordered lattice systems”. He has been awarded by “The medal of the Russian Academy of Sciences for student researches in the field “General Physics and Astronomy” in 2004, President of Russian Federation fellowships for PhD students twice in 2005 and 2006 and Nizhniy Novgorod region Government award for excellence in science and education in 2012. Since 2003 Dr Mikhail has published more than 40 publications in various peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Sarika Jalan completed her PhD in Physics with specialization in nonlinear dynamics and Complex Systems from Physical Research Laboratory, India 2005. After submitting her thesis,

she moved to MPI-MiS, Leipzig and MPI-PKS for post-doctoral studies. During this period, she mainly worked on various aspects of complex systems research with focus on spectral properties of networks. After joining NUS, Singapore in 2008, she started applying the techniques developed in spectral graph theory to biological problems. In December 2010, after joining IIT Indore as Assistant Professor, she established Complex Systems Lab, which comprises PhD students, and Post-doctorate with Physics, Mathematics, Bio-informatics and Computer Science background. Using network theory, nonlinear dynamics and computational techniques, the lab on one hand works to understand complex systems at fundamental level and on other hand extend the concepts to real-world systems coming from Biology and Social science. Dr. Jalan has more than 50 publications in peer reviewed journals. She is Editorial Board member of Nature Scientific Reports and Chaos, Solitions and Fractals, in addition to reviewer of several top rated Physics journals.

Course Location: Indian Institute of Technology, Indore

Duration:November 1 – 8, 2017

Course Coordinator:Prof. Sarika JalanComplex Systems LabDiscipline of PhysicsIndian Institute of Technology IndoreSimrol-452020, IndiaE-mail: sarikajalan9@gmail.com